Friday, December 6, 2013

Last Tuesday I set out on a pre-Christmas challenge — to post a tip a day we can collectively follow with the goal of making the world a better place.

Today’s Tip: Choose Your Chocolate Well

Chocolate is without a doubt on many Christmas shopping lists. After all, who doesn’t love chocolate?

The health-conscious will be perusing labels for the ingredients. How dark is the bar? (The higher the percent of cacao, the more anti-oxidants it contains, and the better it is for your heart.) Does it contain high fructose corn syrup? Is it organic?

The eco- and/or or socially-conscious shoppers will also be on the lookout for some other designations.

The first is the Fair Trade Certified label. Products bearing this label guarantee that the farmers who grew and harvested the cacao beans (in the case of chocolate) were paid a fair wage.

The second is certification from the Rainforest Alliance. The Rainforest Alliance works in over 70 countries to preserve forested areas while promoting sustainable agriculture, forestry, and tourism, all the while ensuring that those working in protected areas earn a fair income.

By all means indulge, but please read the label before you buy.

That’s it for today. “See you tomorrow.”

“All together now,” as the Beatles once sang. Let’s see how much good we can do over the next few weeks.